Playing Plaid by the Rules

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I was ready for a change from the usual mix of colorful pillows on my sofa, so I brought in a plaid blanket and pillows to switch things up for fall. We already had the big fluffy pillow on hand, and the cream, oatmeal, and caramel colors that have been added break up the teal of the couch and play up the woodwork behind it.

I went for pale neutrals, playing by the rules of pattern and plaid, mixing scale and keeping to an overall refined palette. You can break the rules by mixing them up and taking it further though! There were options in red, black, navy, and orange to choose from too, with the patterns going from subtle to loud.

There’s a new throw blanket in the living room for the kids to steal! (They’re always taking them for fort building or whatever else they’re up to for the day, so I’m constantly tracking them down and putting them back.) The blanket is another reversible piece from the Adam Lippes collection, but the difference is more subtle (from a buffalo check to gingham).

I usually have a small brass dish on the coffee table, but I swapped it out for one of these little appetizer plates in assorted plaids. It’s hanging out with a few books, my lil ceramic nudies, and a pothos. (Looking for a house plant you can keep alive? Pothos. $4 at the grocery store and easy.) I’m not sure how much longer these things will be safe where they are though — they are just out of reach for Calvin right now, but not for long.

He’s actually going to go in August’s room, but I couldn’t resist popping him up above the secretary desk for a little while first. Libraries do well with a bit of taxidermy — this one just happens to be of the plush plaid variety.

Brandon wears plaid shirts all the time (exhibit A), and I buy it a lot for the kids, but I haven’t gone much for plaid myself since I was a young goth/punk with zippers all over my pants. It looks awesome in the house though, and I even picked up a windowpane interpretation of the pattern in a top for myself. Teenage me would be a little surprised by the pink I’m so fond of now, but the black walls and plaid would get a nod of approval.

When you add a new pattern in your home, do you go crazy with it, or just a little touch here or there? Are you more of a play by the rules or a break the rules kind of person?

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10 Comments

Mary Beth

October 6, 2015 at 12:01 pm

I like your fall updates very much! The Adam Lippes throw is great. As much as I am not thrilled with taxidermy of any kind, I do like the plaid deer. I am a rule breaker when it comes to pattern mixing. Presently, I have two floral pillows mixed with two Pierre Frey buffalo plaid pillows and a smaller leopard print pillow thrown in for fun sitting on my sofa. It might sound a little over the top, but I think that it all looks like fun. I really enjoy how you and Emily Henderson are displaying the wonderful options from Target. I gave up going into that store several years ago – I could not seem to get myself out without spending at least $100! Now I will occasionally order online, it’s safer.

I always love seeing what she’s up to. She has unlimited access to everything from Target, so it’s awesome to watch how she incorporates it all! And I like the sound of your patterns together. And leopard — Eleanor took out a book from the library all about the difference between leopard and cheetah spots, so now we know that her favorite pattern is indeed leopard.

judy

October 6, 2015 at 9:14 pm

The thing that is soooooooooooooo frustrating about the cuter things from Target is the lack of stock. I have tried to purchase any and all of the things you have featured and never ever found them still available and that was very quickly after your featuring the item. Not long ago I would find well made durable casual clothes for plus sizes but for quite awhile now the quality is poor and the style limited to these weird woman’s tops that have the tail affect over the derriere that to me just emphasizes the larger body size. Almost have bad as the huge florals for large woman featured years ago……….I always wondered if the designer thought they could disguise heavy woman as walking flower gardens thus making them less offensive to slimmer homo sapiens. Your vision is always interesting and lovely and your house is weirdly neat and immaculate for 3 kids?